Neville's Winter
by Smoltenica
Summary: When Harry takes Luna to Slughorn's party, it is not only Romilda Vane who feels exceedingly jealous. NevilleLuna, HBP.
1. A Rather Frosty Christmas

**A Rather Frosty Christmas**

Neville had just finished breakfast in the Great Hall, and was trudging back to the Gryffindor Common Room when he heard a voice call after him.

"Neville!"

He turned around, and his face broke out in a grin.

"Hi, Luna," he said cheerfully.

Suddenly the dark corridor to the Great Hall seemed a lot more cheerful. Maybe the House Elves had been doing extra decorations there for Christmas, after all.

Luna smiled then, and her face was almost dreamier than usual.

Neville felt an odd sort of twisting in his stomach. What had happened to make her so happy? He wracked his brains in thought. Then-

"Harry's taking me to Slughorn's party tonight, as a friend!" she said excitedly.

Something slightly ugly reared itself in Neville's chest. He'd always thought of Harry as a friend, but now he saw-

_No. Don't think that. Never think that. Harry's been nothing but a good friend!_

Now guilt was starting to knot itself around his stomach.

"Neville?"

He blinked and saw Luna peering at his face.

"That's great," he said, unenthusiastically.

"I know," she said, apparently not catching onto his tone, "my first party!"

"What's so special about that?" asked Neville, slightly grumpily. "I'd have asked you too if I had an invite."

"That's very nice of you," Luna beamed, and Neville felt much happier, until she continued- "But I'm so excited about tonight!"

"Right," he muttered, grumpily. "You can go off and start airing your dress robes, then. Hope you have a good time."

And he stormed off, noticing only briefly the hurt in Luna's eyes.

-

What he had been _thinking? _

Neville wanted to tear his hair out.

What did it matter so much if Luna was going to a bloody party? Harry was a good mate, they'd have a fun time-

But that was precisely what was irritating him so much.

_They'd have a fun time. _

Why did the Common Room have to look so cheerful? All crimson and gold and happy- all _Christmas _colours. Probably Slughorn would use this colour scheme for his party. Parvati had said it _sounded like it was going to be really good. _He'd seen some of the preparations in Slughorn's office. And Luna would be going there. With Harry.

"Hi, Neville."

He looked up glumly.

"Hi, Ginny."

She looked at him shrewdly, and chewed on her lower lip. Then she rested her bag on the common room table nearest the fire, and curled up on the chair opposite him.

"What's the matter, Neville?"

He stared into the fireplace. The fire was growing smaller. He could see the glowing embers slowly dying out.

"_Incendio!" _he muttered.

"Neville," Ginny repeated, and he looked at her. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah right, nothing," she snorted. "What in Merlin's name are you doing sulking up here? Don't you want to see the plants Professor Sprout's brought in to the Great Hall to decorate it for Christmas?"

"Professor Sprout can bring the plants in herself," he muttered. "I don't care."

Ginny studied him closely yet again.

"What?" he snapped.

Ginny looked slightly offended.

"There's no need to take that tone with me," she said coolly, "I was only wanting to help. Besides, you usually care about helping Professor Sprout with the plants."

With that, she stood up and began walking towards the portrait hole.

Something burst within Neville at that moment, and he called out weakly to her.

"Harry's taking Luna to Slughorn's party."

Ginny turned around, confused.

"Yes, and she's thrilled," she said. "Aren't you happy that she's happy?"

The honest answer was _no_, but Neville knew it would sound awful to say so.

But it was evidently enough of an answer for Ginny, who walked back to her recently vacated chair, and sat down again.

"Are you jealous?" she asked bluntly.

"No," said Neville, fiercely, surprising himself.

She laughed gently and shook her head.

"Boys," was all she said, and stood up again, shooting him a slightly amused look.

"Hey!" he shouted, "I thought you'd want to help-"

But she had merely disappeared through the portrait hole.

Neville looked across the room. Outside, the snow was falling swiftly. Inside, the fire was crackling merrily, shooting little embers across the carpet and casting shadows on the walls. It irritated him.

"_Aguamenti." _

Then he slung his bag over his back and went to see the Great Hall.

Professor Sprout had said that there would be imported plants from Norway, after all.

--

_A/N: This is my first real Harry Potter fic! (Yes, it did take me this long)._

_A massive thanks to Michael Goldenberg, whose direction of OotP reawakened my inner Neville/Luna fangirl, and to JKR for finishing her series with a brilliant book._

_Also, a huge thanks to Almyra, who helped beta-read this. (Waves flags reading "Almyra" and throws confetti).  
_

_And finally..._

_THIS IS ALMOST CANON!_

"_When she was first asked about the possibility of Luna hooking up with Neville Longbottom several years ago, Rowling's response was "Definitely not." But as time passed and she watched her characters mature, Rowling started to "feel a bit of a pull" between the unlikely pair." -_http://www.msnbc. 

Am totally, ridiculously, head-over-heels in love with Neville Longbottom. If my fondness for Neville/Luna weren't so strong, I'd abandon this fic and claim him for my own, really. But Neville/Luna prevails. If you didn't like this, I can't actually apologise, but please drop a note anyway. If you liked it, then know that I'm as thrilled as Luna was to go to her first party.

_God bless!_


	2. Hope Springs Eternal

**Hope Springs Eternal**

There was a thin blanket of snow coating the ground.

Neville sat glumly by the lake, staring into the blank horizon. It was the lunchtime after Slughorn's party. How could anyone have forgotten?

_Oh, it was wonderful, so much fun!_

_How come you got to go?_

_Guess who invited me._

_Ooh, who? I wish I'd gotten an invite!_

_There were the most fantastic people there! Best party ever. _

_Remember the Yule Ball? Not a patch on this._

_Guess who I saw under the mistletoe! _

He dug his nails into his palms.

_Not Harry and Luna, please not Harry and Luna!_

But the more he thought that, the more he saw them under the mistletoe, and the more he fought the urge to kick something. Trying desperately hard to think about not thinking, Neville closed his eyes and winced.

It seemed hours later that he felt someone sit next to him.

"It's not very safe to sit outside in winter when the Umgubular Slashkilts have been breeding," said a slightly distant voice.

A smile fought its way across his face, and Neville turned around to see Luna sitting beside him. A strand of hair had worked its way free from what appeared to be a hat made of Spellotape, and he reached out to tuck it behind her ear.

Luna looked mildly surprised. Neville felt himself redden, and looked away once more.

"Are you all right?" she asked, after a moment's silence.

"Yeah," he muttered dully, and forced himself to look back at her. "How was the party?"

"Oh, it was lots of fun," she said happily, her eyes sparkling.

Neville scowled and stared hard at the lake.

"It was very odd though," she continued, "Harry disappeared for a very long time, and I don't know where he went."

So it _hadn't _been Harry and Luna who were the talk of the evening!

Something inside Neville cheered loudly. They _hadn't _had that good time he'd feared would happen!

But Harry had also left Luna alone in the middle of a party.

He had _left _her.

"He shouldn't have left you," Neville said, indignantly.

Luna shrugged. "A lot of people were leaving their partners, though. Hermione Granger spent half the night trying to run from that Gryffindor boy, McCormac, or Claggencor, or whatever his name is."

"You're worth twelve of McClaggen," Neville retorted. "That's different."

"That's very nice of you to say," Luna beamed, "but I was fine anyhow. I was talking to Professor Trelawney. It was very odd, too- the vampire there wasn't Rufus Scrimgeour!"

Neville almost felt confused for a moment. Rufus Scrimgeour, a _vampire? _

Maybe it was just another Luna-ism. Funnily enough, he didn't mind them.

Luna took off her scarf and twirled one end. "I almost thought of owling Daddy about it," she continued, "but then I thought, maybe Rufus Scrimgeour was too involved in the Rotfang Conspiracy to bother coming to a Christmas party."

Neville did not know what the Rotfang Conspiracy was, or how it would interfere with Slughorn's Christmas party, but he decided not to ask. It didn't matter, anyway.

"It's going to be rather lonely this Christmas," said Luna abruptly, "everyone's going back home."

"Aren't you?" asked Neville, nonplussed. "You usually-"

"Daddy has work to do. He says it's safer that I stay in Hogwarts," Luna sighed. Neville tentatively thought of placing his hand on her shoulder, but she brightened almost instantly. "He says that he'll model Ravenclaw's lost diadem on me, though, and I've been promised a present from Switzerland."

"That's exciting," said Neville, in a slightly constrained voice.

But something was nagging at the back of his mind.

"D'you want me to stay back at Christmas?" he asked suddenly. "I can, you know- Gran says we'd just be going to Uncle Alphie's anyway. And if I stay- you won't be alone."

Luna positively glowed.

"You don't have to stay," she said, "don't worry about me. I know that I can count on you, though, Neville."

Suddenly the ground seemed a lot warmer than a normal winter ground should be. Neville felt a grin plaster itself on its face.

"I'll owl every day," he promised.

She smiled. "That would be very nice."

Feeling suddenly very confident, Neville helped her off the ground.

"Walk you back to the castle?"

She smiled at him, and slipped her hand in his.

Just the slightest touch- but suddenly Neville felt warm and tingly inside.

They didn't say a word as they headed back to the Entrance Hall, but then, he reasoned, they didn't need to.

It was going to be a very good Christmas.

--

_A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed last chapter! I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations. An especial thanks goes to the awesomely wicked Almyra who helped beta read this.  
_

_ This chapter concludes this fic, but if all goes well, there will hopefully be another one up sometime this year. Long live Neville/Luna!  
_


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